Pubdate: Mon, 19 Jan 2004
Source: Miami Herald (FL)
Copyright: 2004 The Miami Herald
Contact:  http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/262
Author: Kirk Muse
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v04/n096/a03.html

TAX USERS OF DRUGS

Thanks for publishing Robert Sharpe's outstanding Jan. 15 letter,
Offer drug treatment. Incarcerating people for what they do to
themselves makes no sense -- economic or otherwise. We don't imprison
people who attempt suicide and survive. So why do we incarcerate drug
users?

When we criminalize recreational drugs, we ensure that the drugs will
be untaxed. We are throwing away billions of potential tax dollars.
Wouldn't nondrug users be in favor of taxing a product that they don't
use?

Kirk Muse

Mesa, Ariz.
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MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin